And In The End

14

~Eight Years Later~

March 15th
Tris's POV
"Come on," I whisper to Tobias, pulling him down the hallway. Smiling, I carefully creek open River's bedroom door, finding my fifteen-year-old sleeping peacefully. I smile, gripping Tobias's hand, looking back at him. A smile is plastered across his face as well.

So much has changed over the past eight years, but it has also stayed the same. For one, Lynn and Sadie got married three years ago on August first. They left the city soon after, wanting to explore the world, or what is left of it. We haven't seen them since then. Marlene also learned that she couldn't have kids and was devastated about it. She and Uriah got through it though. It probably helped that they were always around our kids. Our kids, I think, smiling. They have grown up so much. I've watched them turn into their own people, slowly finding out who they are. Ivey, Apollo, and Avri have all changed the most, I think, since they have grown so much. The twins are twelve now, always up to mischief. I know Christina is having a hard time with Everest, who recently learned that Will isn't his biological father. I don't know much about it, but River does. River and Everest are impossibly close, their friendship growing more and more every day. They are always there for each other.

"One," I whisper, looking at Tobias with a gleam in our eyes. "Two, three." We both jump onto River's bed, squeezing her against her mattress. I hear a yelp escape from her.

"Happy birthday!" we shout at the same time. Not a moment later, the twins and Ivey are in the room, jumping onto the bed as well. River pries her way out from under the covers, sitting up to look at us. Tobias kisses her on the forehead, brushing her disheveled hair back.

"You're fifteen," I beam at my oldest.

River's POV
"I'm going to get dressed, then I'll come down," I call to my parents as they walk out of my bedroom. I know there are probably people downstairs, and I don't need them singing 'happy birthday' to me when I look like I haven't seen the sun for a year.

"Okay, hurry!" Mom calls back excitedly. I smile. She loves birthdays. I can't imagine why when her 25th birthday involved losing her memory. I shake that thought out of my mind. No negativity today, I remind myself of the pact I made years ago. I can slump every other day of the year but my birthday. Rubbing my eyes, I open one of my black curtains, overlooking the chasm. Dim light shines through. I move to the bookshelf right next to it and click on my salt lamp, providing the room with as much light as I like.

I redecorated my room last year, on my fourteenth birthday. We painted the walls a dim, tan color, replacing the pink and white. I hung old band posters from before the war around my room, listening to the actual music from the black record player on my desk. I tried to make the large room as cozy as possible but not small or claustrophobic. My large bed takes up most of the space with it's black and dark grey bedding.

I shuffle into the bathroom, quickly brushing my teeth and applying some eyeliner, mascara, and chapstick. I comb my chin-length, brown hair, pinning two sections up to make small ponytails. Few bangs fall over my forehead.

I smile, finding Blakelyn sitting on my unmade bed when I walk back into my room. "Hey, Blakey," I say, ruffling through my closet to find my clothes.

"I got you a present," she says, hopping off my bed and walking over to me. She holds out a small box, wrapped in black with a silver bow.

"Mom said not until tonight," I smile, taking it from her.

"Just open it. It'll go good with your outfit," she nods to the clothes in my arm; tights, a black skirt, a white collared shirt, a dark crewneck, and a grey puffer that I will pair with my combat boots. Taking the box from her, I carefully unwrap it, revealing a small, silver necklace.

"I love it," I smile, hugging her. "Now get out of my room so I can get dressed." We laugh.

Smoothing down my skirt, I walk out of my bedroom, my boots clanking against the floor. I hear shushes coming from downstairs and smile. Walking down slowly, I find a seemingly empty living room at the bottom of the staircase. In an instant, people jump up from behind the furniture, shouting 'Happy Birthday.' I smile, scanning the room, finding Mom, Dad, my siblings, Shauna, Marlene, Zeke, Uriah, Chris, Will, and the other kids.

"Happy Birthday!" Everest shouts in my ear, crushing me with a hug. I smile, my face resting in the crook of his neck, as his arms squeeze the air out of me.

"Ever, you're squishing me," I laugh. He lets go, ruffling my hair. I quickly say hello to everyone, greeted with hugs from all my aunts plus Will, while Zeke and Uriah pick me up, running around the house.

"I'm fifteen, not five," I shout at them.

"Same difference," Zeke says, putting me down.

"You're about as tall as a five-year-old," Uriah comments.

"I'm literally as tall as you," I say, laughing. Uriah sticks his tongue out at me. I have to remind myself he is a full-grown man sometimes, the way he acts like he is ten.

"Food!" I hear Mom call as we all make our way to the table. Dad pulls out a chair for me, kissing the top of my head. I smile. Everest sits next to me while the other kids sit around the rest of the table. The adults all stand in the kitchen, whispering. I throw Everest a look. They do this every year.

"Happy birthday to you," they all start singing, walking out of the kitchen with a plate of cinnamon roles and a candle on top.

"Happy birthday dear River. Happy birthday to you!" they finish, clapping and laughing. I smile at my family and blow out the candle.